The plant is safe, Alex, but horribly pot-bound. You will need to give it a good soaking and then try to loosen some of the roots with your fingers and wash out as much peat as possible.
Alternatively, you could take it back and tell them that their plant care is rubbish. Of course, they won't listen.

I took it back, but they didn't seem to care less about their pinks which were all the same. The white stuff came off in my hands. The pictures admit look like roots, but in real life it looked like some sort of white mould.

I got a refund anyway. The rest of their pinks were either covered in it, or were develeoping some. I bought one from another store instead. It turned out undr half the price of the one from the GC.

I've said it before, but buy very few plants from a garden center. Ones from a small nursery are much better grown and often cost less. And, if you do have a problem, they are anxious to hear about it.